Warriors: Shadows in the Light - The Shattered Oath [Book Two]

Prologue

PROLOGUE

ROWANMASK | WINDCLAN CAMP

Everything had been okay. Rosepaw had been alive, Tulipfoot had been alive, Rainpaw had been alive, then everything just crashed down on him. And it hurt, it hurt so much. He missed Tulipfoot, his sister, and his apprentice, Rosepaw.

And Rosepaw's death shouldn't hurt so much. But it did.

The only reason he ever tried to distance himself from his apprentice was because he was afraid of losing her. He didn't like the feeling when he lost Acornberry's love, but this feeling was much worse. Acornberry was still alive while Rosepaw and Tulipfoot and Rainpaw weren't.

The grief wouldn't be so bad if Rosepaw had never pushed her way inside of his heart. Every time he snapped at her or bossed her around, he inwardly cringed. He didn't like doing that, but he just wanted to avoid this kind of sorrow. If he acted cold and got her out of his den, he wouldn't be pained so much.

I should've just accepted her. I loved her as though she was my kit. She died thinking I hated her to the bone. Rowanmask stared at the two bodies at his paws. Now I don't even get to say goodbye to her body. Rosepaw's blood had been spattered on the ground by Rainpaw, but her body had been gone. The cat who found the scene said it seemed the killer had dragged her body away to the border WindClan shared with no one. The patrol lost her scent and the blood had faded gradually.

Kestrelheart's sorrowful wail resonated through camp while he smothered Tulipfoot's and Rainpaw's in lavender.

Hearing his other sister cry out to the world worsened the pain. He tried to tune her out, but all he could hear were her sobs echoing in his ears.

"My kit! Where is she?" Kestrelheart sobbed outside. Cats tried to comfort the distressed mother while they themselves were grieving, but Kestrelheart kept wailing.

Rowanmask dragged Tulipfoot's body outside first, then Rainpaw's. Cats gathered around tentatively, stunned that they lost three cats yesterday.

Kestrelheart approached Tulipfoot's body, but stopped to the empty space next to Tulipfoot's body. Rowanmask could tell that's where she pretended Rosepaw's body was.

Dawnstream sat next to Kestrelheart, eyes round with sadness. She asked Kestrelheart why she wasn't grieving for Tulipfoot.

"I miss Tulipfoot, but sometimes a mother-daughter bond is stronger-" Kestrelheart broke off, laying down with a whimper and burying her face into Dawnstream's fur.

Rowanmask surveyed the camp clearing, sitting back on his haunches. Cloudpaw and Lightningpaw huddled next to each other, whiskers quivering. Their mother, Feathersong, was much worse than them. She rested her head on her mate's shoulder, Lowcloud, body trembling. Rainpaw's mentor, Thistlemoon, was murmuring sadly about how she was so young and didn't see as much as Thistlemoon anticipated.

Tulipfoot had lots of cats surrounding her. Her mate, Mousefang, Frecklepaw and Volepaw, Goldclaw, and a few more. Warriors on the sides of camp attempted to comfort the heartbroken cats, but to no avail.

"WindClan." Beestar's booming voice jerked Rowanmask's attention to him. "We have lost three cats in one day. Most shockingly, though, is that two were murdered and one of the bodies are missing, dragged away by the killer mysteriously."

Kestrelheart let out a low wail.

"Be on the lookout for Sootripple, WindClan. I want to bump patrols up to more cats, so five or six cats on every patrol. Do not leave camp alone." Now Beestar's gaze was on Rowanmask. "You must go out with two other warriors."

Rowanmask dipped his head.

"That is all. We will hold a vigil for Rainpaw, Rosepaw, and Tulipfoot, but before that, I think Rainpaw and Rosepaw deserve their full names in StarClan."

Roselight. I've always had that name for her. Rowanmask dropped his head sadly. She always was a bright, cheerful cat, even when I brought her down. The moment she became my apprentice, she drew a smile to my face.

"Rowanmask, I'm sure you'd like to do the honors of naming Rosepaw." Beestar meowed expectantly.

Rowanmask nodded.

"Rainpaw lived a life too short, but she led a good one." Beestar paused, contemplating. "Rainpaw's warrior name will be Rainmoon. You would've trained her well, Thistlemoon. She was already acting like you; hard-working and thoughtful."

Rowanmask got up, knowing it was his turn.

"Rosepaw was the best apprentice I could ever ask for. She knew her facts and didn't shy away from challenges, even if in the end it ended badly." Rowanmask thought about Tulipfoot. 

Rosepaw had tried her best without Rowanmask there, and she had helped Tulipfoot live a little longer. When Rowanmask had gotten there, though, it had been too late. She had lost too much blood. Tulipfoot only had enough time left to give birth to her other kittens before passing away.

"Roselight is her medicine cat name. She was an amazing apprentice."

"She always brought a smile to my face." Duskface spoke up. "I enjoyed her presence. She definitely gave off some sort of warmth."

Dawnstream, right next to him, nodded in agreement.

The crowd lapsed into a mournful silence after that.

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y'all finally see why rowanmask treated rosepaw the way he did. may have not been the best way, so now he silently suffers for it :(

-artemis